Edmonton Oilers injury news and roster moves ahead of playoffs

The Edmonton Oilers are about to embark on another playoff run, as they attempt to finally win their first Stanley Cup since 1990. This is also arguably the best all-around roster of the Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl era, as they both look to finally reach the holy grail.

This is the fifth consecutive season McDavid, Draisaitl and company have qualfied for the playoffs, and the sixth time in eight campaigns. The Oilers are understandably favourites to advance past the Los Angeles Kings and move onto the second round although, as we wrote on Saturday, nothing should be taken for granted.

Regardless, injuries will play some role in helping determine which team wins the first round best-of-seven series. Fortunately for the Oilers, they do not have any substantial injury worries ahead of Monday night's opening game at Rogers Place.

A couple of undisclosed injuries

Evander Kane has not played since the Oilers lost 3-1 to the Vancouver Canucks, sitting out the final three games of the regular season with an undisclosed injury. In this respect, there has been no official confirmation of if this is related to the lingering lower body issue he's had for the majority of the 2023-24 campaign.

In fairness, Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch has maintained that sitting the winger for the last three games was more about maintenance days, i.e. giving him more time to relax and recover. Knoblauch said he would have dressed him if it had been a playoff game.

It's been an eventful season for Kane to say the least, due to animated exchanges with teammates captured on camera, comments he's made during interviews and so on. However, aside from the fact most of these incidents were made more of purely because of his reputation, the reality is he has the ability to be a key component of the Oilers' push for glory.

Kane did not practice on Saturday, but he is expected to be back out on the ice on Sunday. Speaking to the media, Knoblauch said: "We hope to have him on the ice tomorrow, and we'll find out and see how his health is. We're hopeful that he'll be available for game one."

It's a similar scenario with Mattias Janmark, who also sat out Saturday's practice due to an undisclosed injury. Unlike Kane though, he didn't miss any games to close out the regular season.

Holloway awaits his fate

It will be interesting to see how this all plays out, as it may impact Dylan Holloway's status for game one. As per The Athletic's Daniel Nugent-Bowman. If Kane and Janmark are both ready to go, Knoblauch will decide on Monday morning whether to play Holloway, or make him a healthy scratch.

As per Pro Hockey Rumors, a couple of roster moves of note were assigning Philip Broberg and Adam Erne to Bakersfield. Both had been recalled for the end of the Oilers' regular season, after the decision to rest several of the stars ahead of the playoffs and with nothing on the line.

Both Broberg and Erne will help the Condors, as they begun their own playoff quest for the Calder Cup. Broberg in particular will be key, after finishing second on the team in assists and fourth in overall points.

Regardless, you can expect Broberg and Erne to be at the head of the queue if and when the Oilers need to recall anyone during the playoffs. Although understandably, Knoblauch and company will be hoping this isn't necessary.

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